Not surprisingly, we’ve heard conflicting information on the matter today. ESPN’s Jim Bowden reports that the Yankees have taken the lead over the Red Sox in talks while his colleague Buster Olney says the two clubs have not spoken about Kuroda recently.

Kuroda owns a 6-13 record this season, but it distracts from a quality 3.11 ERA and 103/36 K/BB ratio over 133 innings.

Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reported earlier this week that the 36-year-old right-hander could carry draft pick compensation as a Type B free agent this winter. Kuroda is still owed $6.7 million on his contract, most of it in the form of a signing bonus, so this remaining financial obligation could have a major impact on what the Dodgers receive in return.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports Thursday that the Orioles “are said to have begun fielding calls of interest” on superstar Manny Machado and “are close to the point of seriously weighing whether to trade him.”

You’d think it would be a no-brainer for the last-place O’s to flip Machado — an impending free agent — for prospects, but Heyman notes there is “still a question whether or not longtime Orioles owner Peter Angelos” will give the go-ahead. One person familiar with the situation put it a “50-50” likelihood. Another suggested that it would take a massive return, which, sure.

Machado entered play Thursday with a sensational .328/.405/.635 batting line, 15 home runs, and an MLB-leading 43 RBI in 49 games. It’d be a real shock if he’s still wearing an O’s uniform by the end of July.

Heyman reported previously that at least nine teams made aggressive plays for Machado this winter, including the Cubs, Phillies, Dodgers, Indians, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, and Cardinals. A whole lot of those teams still make sense here in late May — maybe all of them except the White Sox.